Creepin' In
by LitLove
Summary: It started with an apology and an explanation. And it brought him the fame and success she promised him all these years ago. It was also the reason why they were in North Carolina right now. - LIT, slightly AU


**Disclaimer:** Not mine, no money, no bad intentions ... yadda, yadda, yadda ...

**A/N**: Damn writer's block has still the grip on me, but the fluff-fairy is around so I produced – surprise, surprise – a one-shot. Rory and Jess. Slightly AU. And – geez – it's a songfic … with a Country-song (Jess would kill me if he knew what I was doing to him). That's all, folks. Please review, cause it makes my day. ;) *waves and jumps out*

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><p><strong>CREEPIN' IN<strong>

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><p><em>There's a big ol' hole<br>That's gone right through the sole  
>Of this old shoe<em>

"Fuck!"

It started to rain heavily, like heaven's water pipe had broken down. This was no longer a light drizzle, but a fucking downpour.

Now of all times! Somewhere in the boonies, on a street in the freakin' middle of nowhere. At his right some fields, on his left some more fields, in front of him just the street, on the horizon just a few trees, and at the curbside a few flowers here and there.

But that was all. Except for some cows. But really, _nothing_ else.

On top of it all, today of all days, he decided to wear his most comfortable and oldest sneakers. He didn't need to wear his expensive dress-shoes from _Church_ for a day trip. The last couple of days he had to wear them too often anyway (one cocktail party after another, book presentations, formal dinners, etc.), the old _Chucks_ were really the better choice.

_And the water on the ground  
>Ain't got no place else it found<br>So it's only got one thing left to do_

Unfortunately they weren't leak proof anymore. The exact opposite: his feet were soaking wet.

"You know I _love_ your shoes, but tomorrow we throw them out and buy you new ones." These were the first words she had spoken in nearly twenty minutes.

He could hear the smirk in her voice and wasn't sure why she was still in such a good mood. After all they were here in the middle of Nowhere, North Carolina, at least two hours away from the city Charlotte, far and wide no other people, their rental car (he swore to never rent a car at _Sixt_ again) left behind about three miles from here, her cell was lying in their hotel room, and his was out of battery. On top of it the rain was pouring down like no tomorrow. _What the fuck was so funny?_

She must have seen it on his face, because a small giggle escaped her. He nearly wasn't able to hear it through the rain but still it reached his ears. But before he even had the chance to snap at her she started to speak again.

"Look," she pointed to an object some yards away, "An old barn. Come on, Baby, we can hide from the rain there." And just like that she scurried away, not even giving him the chance to comment on anything.

Jess rolled his eyes but still followed her.

_Creep on in  
>Creep on in<br>And once it has begun  
>Won't stop until it's done<br>Sneaking in_

Minutes later both of them crept into the barn – just like the rainwater into his shoes. The barn may have been old, but at least it was dry and there was enough straw for them to comfortably lie down for the night.

Because in the meantime they realized that this was going to be their plan. The world outside turned darker, the rain seemed to get heavier from minute to minute, and it didn't look like somebody was going to pass their _chateau_ anytime soon.

It was her voice again which broke into his thoughts, "Somehow this reminds me a lot of our California-trip." Another grin crept on her face while taking a closer inspection of the straw.

He couldn't help it, he smirked back, and answered, "You mean the one where we forgot to stop at the gas station and got stuck somewhere between Chicago and the _wonderful_ solitude of Iowa."

"Exactly," her smile broadened. "That was awesome."

"Rory," he laughed, "If I remember correctly you didn't speak a single word to me for over two hours because you devoutly believed that everything was _my_ fault."

She didn't react immediately and when he looked at her he was able to recognize the light blush on her cheeks, "And if _I_ remember correctly, you worked really hard to make me forget my anger as fast as possible."

_There's a silver moon  
>That came a little too soon<br>For me to bare_

The moon was high up in the sky, the rain had slowed down a little bit, and their conversations about their California-trip quieted down. Rory's breathing was calm and rhythmical; it seemed the tiredness finally got the best of her.

In the meantime Jess had clearly calmed down about their situation too. Besides, he really could use a night off. The book tour was exhausting and without Rory by his side it would have been unbearable.

_True Frog Tales_ – his third book – started slowly. His regular readers remained loyal to him and he didn't expect that his _Fan-Community_ – if you could even call it that – would grow immensely.

And then a famous journalist wrote an article about it for the _Times_, and Oprah had his book – his insignificant, small work – on her reading list.

The print run got quadrupled, _True Frog Tales_ turned into a national bestseller. It started with an apology and an explanation. An apology to the love of his life. And it brought him the fame and success she promised him all these years ago.

This was also the reason why they were in North Carolina right now.

_Shines brightly on my bed  
>And the shadows overhead<br>Won't let me sleep as long as they're there_

Later on – the rain had stopped, the clouds had disappeared, and the moonlight shone through the cracks of the walls of the barn – her voice surprised him again. It seemed today she had an exceptional talent to astonish him.

"You remember planning the trip?" Her whisper was nearly impossible to hear. "Mom tried everything in her might so we would agree to a travel-diary."

Jess rolled his eyes. "She secretly exchanged every single CD in the car and replaced them with her 'California-Trip-Songs'. She gave the trip a freakin' _theme_. Every first song on every fucking CD was Rufus Wainwright's _King of the Road_."

"At least she chose the cool version," Rory giggled while pushing herself up and leaning on her arms.

"Jess?" she finally whispered and started to play with the buttons of his shirt, "Why don't you come a little bit closer, would ya?"

_There's a big ol' hole  
>That goes right through my sole<br>And that ain't nothing new_

The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes the next morning was the big hole in his sneaker.

Rory's head rested on his chest, her right arm wrapped around his waist, her leg snuggled in between his with her knee dangerously close to the part of him where the blood had already rushed to again. His gaze fell on her naked back and he started to caress her soft skin.

Finally she opened her eyes – at first not recognizing where she was - before a huge smile appeared on her face and she snuggled closer to him.

"Yep, definitely reminds me more and more of our California-trip." Her cheeks turned red, pressing her lips to his.

_So long as you're around  
>And got no place else you've found<br>There's only one thing left to do_

It took a farmer until around lunchtime to finally get lost on the street and discover the broken-down car. Minutes later he also found Rory and Jess – leaning against the door of his barn – both reading the same book.

Only late at night were they finally able to return to their hotel room. The next morning the departure to Charleston, South Carolina, was scheduled.

Jess dressed himself in his pajama-pants after taking a much needed shower, when his eyes fell on his pair of shoes. With a sigh he bent down and picked up the _Chucks_, turning them around slightly, looking at them from every possible angle. He remembered all the different places he had these shoes with him. They brought him from the bus to the diner on his first day in Stars Hollow. They felt the beats of the Distiller-concert vibrating. They pushed the sand of Venice Beach aside.

On Truncheon's first Open-House they turned around to see Rory standing in the door.

"I thought about it," her voice interrupted his thoughts once again, taking the shoes from his hands. She gingerly put them down beside his _Church's_, even smiled at them once, before stating, "We can't throw them out. The _Chucks_ are already a family member."

Jess grinned. "You're crazy."

"Why, _thank you_!" She laughed before going to bed and slipping under the sheets.

"Jess," she than stated, "come a little bit closer, would ya?"

_Creep on in  
>Creep on in<br>And once you have begun  
>Don't stop until you're done<br>Sneaking in_

_**FIN**_


End file.
